Bell bauhinia
StarBauhinia tomentosa
Synonyms: Bauhinia inermis, Bauhinia binata, Bauhinia mucora, Alvesia tomentosa, Bauhinia pubescens, Bauhinia wituensis, Cansenia tomentosa, Bauhinia volkensii, Alvesia bauhinioides, Bauhinia tomentosa var. glabrata, Bauhinia tomentosa var. candida, Pauletia tomentosa, Phyllolobium zanzibarense
Safety at a glance
No rule in our tables for this herb: pregnancy, breastfeeding, incompatible pairs (十八反 / 十九畏), herb–drug, dose ceiling. This is not a safety clearance.
Not graded — No toxicity grade is recorded. Most herbs in the catalogue carry none.
Traditionally used for
- Eye health
- Bowel health
- Skin
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Ayurvedic medicine Bauhinia tomentosa is one of the kanchanara-group drugs (sometimes called pita-kanchanara, the yellow kanchanara); the bark and root bark are used as an astringent in dysentery, diarrhoea, worms and to treat glandular swellings and skin disorders, and the flowers are given for dysentery (Khare, 2007; Nadkarni, 1976). In West African folk medicine the leaf decoction is taken for dysentery and applied as a wash for skin infections and ophthalmia, and root preparations are used as an astringent (Burkill, 1995; Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962). In southern African traditional use the bark and root decoction are taken for gastrointestinal complaints (Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962).
Gallery
Botanical Description
Bauhinia tomentosa, the yellow bell bauhinia or St Thomas tree, is a small deciduous tree or large shrub of the Fabaceae (Cercidoideae), native across tropical Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka and widely cultivated in the tropics as an ornamental. It grows 3–6 m tall with slender pubescent branches. The characteristic two-lobed (bilobed) leaves are 4–7 cm long, greyish-velvety beneath, with parallel palmate venation typical of the genus. Showy pendulous flowers have five primrose-yellow petals, often with a dark maroon blotch at the base of the standard, and open in the warm season. Fruits are flattened, brown, velvety legumes 7–15 cm long releasing several flat seeds at dehiscence. It inhabits dry woodland and rocky slopes.
Dosage Calculator
⚖ Dosage Calculator
A weight-based mathematical estimate for Bell bauhinia. Not a prescription.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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